This article contains spoilers for Squid Game Season 2.
Squid Game has officially returned. Three years after the dystopian Korean drama shattered streaming records as Netflix’s most-watched series ever, all seven episodes of Season 2 were released on December 26.
Picking up where the previous season concluded, a year after the games ended, Season 2 then leaps two years ahead. It follows Seong Gi-hun (Lee Jung-jae), also known as Player 456, who triumphed in winning the 45.6 billion South Korean won prize. Gi-hun decides to re-enter the life-or-death survival game, determined to bring down Front Man, the ruthless mastermind behind the competition.
“Squid Game” is set to conclude in 2025 with its third and final season. The series’ writer, director, and executive producer, Hwang Dong-hyuk, purposefully ended Season 2 with a dramatic cliffhanger. This latest installment will leave fans eagerly anticipating the next developments in what Hwang described to Netflix’s Tudum as the “second chapter of Gi-hun and Front Man’s showdown.”
“The intense confrontation between Gi-hun and Front Man will persist into the series finale with Season 3, scheduled to be released next year,” Hwang conveyed in a letter to fans earlier this year.
Here’s what else viewers should know about Season 3:
When does Season 3 premiere?
While Netflix has not announced an exact release date, fans can anticipate Season 3 of Squid Game to begin streaming sometime in 2025. In an interview with Entertainment Weekly, creator Hwang revealed that he initially conceived Seasons 2 and 3 as “a single story.” However, upon realizing the extensive number of episodes required to conclude the narrative, he decided to split it into two separate seasons.
“I originally envisioned Seasons 2 and 3 as a single story,” Hwang explained. “But in the process, it turned out to be too many episodes, so I thought it would be better to divide it into two.”
Reports indicate that Seasons 2 and 3 were filmed consecutively.
What can fans expect in Season 3?
In planning the final two seasons, Hwang recognized the audience’s keen interest in discovering the fate of Player 456 after winning the grand prize. Season 3 is set to resolve these lingering questions and tie up the saga’s loose ends.
Hwang, who made history as the first Asian to win an Emmy for Outstanding Directing in a Drama Series, shared his vision: “I aimed to continue the story of Gi-hun beyond the conclusion of Season 1, exploring his actions and decisions to put an end to the games. As the creator, writer, and director, I felt it was my duty to further develop this narrative… the story reached its full closure at the end of Season 3.”
In Season 3, the focus will be on the repercussions of Gi-hun’s unsuccessful attempt to stop the games. Hwang explained to Netflix’s Tudum: “Initially, he couldn’t convince his fellow players to end Squid Game through voting.” Additionally, Gi-hun “was unsuccessful in using physical power and strength to challenge those running the game.”
Viewers can also look forward to a new game in Season 3, reminiscent of the iconic Red Light, Green Light.
In an interview with Entertainment Weekly, Hwang revealed that the final credits scene in Season 2 serves as a preview of Cheol-su, a new giant doll similar to Young-hee, which will be featured prominently in Season 3. He added, “This also hints at the most exciting game in Season 3. While details haven’t been shared yet, I hope everyone will be eager to meet Cheol-su and experience the new game.”
Regarding character returns, Hwang informed AP that unlike Season 1, Seasons 2 and 3 will feature more screen time for a broader range of characters. Acknowledging that “the world has changed,” Hwang decided to include younger characters this time to more accurately depict the financial struggles faced by individuals in their 20s and 30s.
“He observed, ‘Nowadays, it seems there are fewer decent job opportunities for young people, and many feel that hard work no longer guarantees a middle-class lifestyle. This drives them to seek quick wealth, leading to investments in cryptocurrency. In Korea, numerous individuals in their early 20s and 30s are also turning to online gambling. I wanted to depict the current reality of our society.’
However, introducing more characters could result in an increase in fatalities.
One of the most startling deaths in Season 2 is that of Gi-Hun’s ally, Park Jung-bae (Lee Seo-hwan), also known as Player 390, who is shot and killed by Front Man in the final minutes of the finale. Given his on-screen demise, it’s improbable that Jung-bae will return in Season 3.
What lies ahead for the series?
Hwang hinted at future developments for Gi-hun in Season 3, drawing a parallel between his resourceful protagonist and the villainous, seemingly invincible Front Man.”
Hwang, while discussing Gi-hun’s internal struggle, posed a question to Netflix’s Tudum: “Will [Gi-hun] continue to believe he can persuade others to leave together or end the game? Or will he succumb and transform into a completely different person, akin to the Front Man who has adopted a ‘What can I change?’ mindset?”
Lee Byung-hun, the actor portraying the Front Man, elaborated to Tudum, saying, “It seems like there’s a wager between [Gi-hun and Front Man]. The Front Man questions, ‘Do you really think you can end the game? Do you genuinely believe in hope within people? Do you think the world will change?'”
Regarding his thoughts on Season 3, writer-director Hwang confidently told the Associated Press, “It’s better than Season Two.”
Squid Game Season 2 is now available for streaming on Netflix.